


Youth in Revolt

by RebeccaOTool



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Accidental FrostIron, Age Regression/De-Aging, Childhood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fountain of Youth, Funny, Gen, Nightmares, Unintentional FrostIron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-19
Updated: 2013-04-20
Packaged: 2017-12-08 22:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaOTool/pseuds/RebeccaOTool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki turns the Avengers into toddlers. Woe unto Loki.</p><p>And as a note to any other frustrated searchers of this rather *ahem* specific type of fic: They keep their memories and personalities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based ever-so-slightly on that adorable Target commercial with the kidvengers.

0o0o0o0

"You should be happy I did not simply kill you."

Steve glared up at their nemesis. "Why didn't you?"

Loki permitted a smile to cross his face. "Because revenge is so much sweeter."

Steve growled under his breath. It wasn't as if he could do much else...

Thor hadn't explained how Loki had escaped from Asgard, or how he'd managed to steal the magical whatzit staff that had done this to them. He hadn't had time before basically losing the power of speech.

Loki had turned them into children. Practically babies. And he was still laughing.

Beside them, Tony wobbled to his feet. "Hm. Usually I'm drunk when I have this much trouble walking."

"Maybe you're drunk now and dreaming all of this." Bruce put in mildly from the floor. He was sitting splay-legged in near a pile of blocks. Steve tried to ignore the tinge of green that flushed his skin, belying his calm exterior.

"Don't I wish." Tony gave up and thumped onto his rear beside the other genius. He stared intently at the Asgardian towering above them.

Steve was the oldest, as near as he could figure, maybe four years old. He was big for his age; something to do with the super-soldier serum apparently still in his veins. The rest of the boys seemed around two or three. Thor, standing in a playpen, was babbling angrily at his formerly younger brother. They couldn't make out many words. Most seemed to be in Norse, and the ones that weren't, Steve wouldn't repeat in front of children.

In the corner, Clint sat facing the wall, wriggling. "When Nat gets here you're gonna regret this, you bastard."

"Language, children." Loki made a motion, and the shadows in the corner grew darker. Clint began struggling fiercely, whimpering in pain. "That's what got you into trouble in the first place."

"Leave him alone!" Steve threw a punch at Loki's leg, landing square on the kneecap.

Loki shook his head, that unshakable smile still on his face. "Spirited, I'll give you that."

At a loss, Steve hurried to the corner and yanked on Clint's arm, pulling him out of the shadow. "You okay?"

"Peachy." Clint shook his head. Red bruise marks began popping up on his exposed skin. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know." Steve didn't let go of his arm.

"What exactly is your plan here, Loki?" Tony ignored the spectacle, seeming almost bored. "You turn us into kids, treat us like kids to annoy us, and then…what? It's not like we're in real danger here. Hell, this place could probably get accredited as a daycare."

Steve had to admit, it was weird. Aside from the naughty corner, it seemed to be a normal playroom; there were toys galore, bright colors, even a row of cots. It didn't seem odd at all, aside from the horned god in the center of the room.

"Trying to get me to monologue?"

Tony's mouth dropped into an 'o' of surprise. "Erm…"

"The woman is far more skilled than any of you at such things, don't bother." He said dismissively. "Rest assured, you'll understand in time."

With this, he vanished.

"Well, that was productive." Tony looked at Steve. "What now, Cap?"

"Um…I don't know." Steve gently steered Clint to the rest of the group. "Bruce, any ideas?"

"I could let the other guy knock down the wall."

At this, Thor began to wail. Loudly. At an intensely high pitch.

" 'Kay, I'm thinking that's a bad plan." Tony struggled to his feet. "Thor. Thor! Stop crying! What kind of god are you?"

Thor stopped wailing, looking abashed. One hand was wrapped around the handle of his hammer, constantly tugging at it. It sat immovable in the center of the playpen.

"Thor, think carefully before you say each word. Remember, we need English." Tony stood, peering over the mesh wall. "Why shouldn't we try to break out?"

Thor reached up, trying to scrub the tears from his eyes without making it too obvious what he was doing. "Bad."

"Yeah, okay. Why is it bad?"

He gestured wildly at the wall. "Bad!"

"What's bad?" Tony growled.

"Bad out!" Thor growled back, frustrated with himself and his teammates. "No go!"

"I think…he's saying outside the walls is bad. Whatever is out there will get us." Clint said. "There's a crack in that corner, and it's pretty dark out there."

At this, Thor clapped his hands together in excitement. "Yes!"

"Good job." Steve finally loosed his grip.

"You think that's why he made Thor so much younger than us? So he couldn't warn us?" Tony eyed the dark corner warily.

"Sounds plausible." Bruce joined the group around the playpen. "Not to mention making him to small to use the hammer."

"Mine." Thor said mournfully, replacing his grip on the hammer and tugging.

"Like a child with a blankey." Clint shook his head.

"It's affected his mind." Tony muttered under his breath. "Gods do _not_ cry."

"He got Thor first. Think that'll happen to the rest of us eventually?" Clint asked.

At this, Tony grew pale. Without the iron-man suit, intellect was all the billionaire had left to defend himself. The arc reactor glowed behind his shirt, pulsing as his heartbeat sped up.

"No sense worrying about it." Steve said hurriedly.

"He'll be after Natasha now. What do you think he'll do if he has all of us?" Bruce asked quietly. "He won't just be hoping we get nabbed by the boogyman out there."

"He's insane. Whatever he's planning, we probably can't figure it out." Clint said bitterly, rubbing his bruised arm.

"Well. We could always try to out-crazy him." Bruce's eyes glinted an evil green.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked a tad apprehensively.

Bruce smiled

0o0o0o0

Loki was no longer smiling as he carried the little red-haired girl under his arm. She was screaming her lungs out, thrashing like a wildcat. He'd already been scratched and bitten a dozen times over.

She screeched something in Russian as he fumbled with the warded doorway that led to the playroom. Maybe it would have been better to leave the Black Widow alone…

The god's jaw dropped as they materialized in the room.

"How…What…" He sputtered, dropping the girl to the floor.

The room was in a shambles. Large dents were on the walls; not deep enough to crack them, but still noticeable. Most of the toys had been shredded or broken. The furniture has been smashed. It was as if an Odin storm had passed through the room.

"Hulk SMASH!" A green blur hurled something past his head, missing it by a hairsbreadth.

Hawkeye and Iron Man tussled on the floor, yelling at the top of their lungs, while Thor and Captain America cheered them on.

Black Widow joined the group and began cheering in Russian.

"Have you lost your senses?" Loki roared, silencing the uproar. The Hulk stopped his rampage, and stood with the others, panting loudly. The two boys stopped tussling, and stared at him, wide eyed. "WHAT is going on here?"

"We're boooooored." Tony whined. "I wanna go outside!"

"I want ice cream!"

"I want my mommy!"

"Hulk sleepy!"

The chorus of whines grew louder and more insistent, although the boys couldn't make out what Thor or Natasha were saying.

A vein in Loki's forehead began to throb as he tried to quiet the children. He'd assumed they would be sobbing in terror at this point and begging for mercy. He gripped the staff of youth that was stuck in his belt, knuckles turning white.

"Enough!" He roared, quieting them for a moment. "You will be staying in here, and you will be QUIET!"

"Now!" Tony shouted, leaping up from his wrestling match.

He was pounced on from all sides—the Hulk could still jump well beyond human limits. Tiny fingers scrabbled at the staff as others gouged, pinched, groped, and punched.

"No, you don't know what you're doing!" Loki screamed as the staff was wrested from his grasp. Oh, heavens above, this was bad, very very ba—

A blinding flash of green bloomed in his vision. He was laying face-down on a smooth floor, not the rug-lined floor of the nursery.

"What have you fools done?" He groaned and tried to squirm out from under the pile of bodies.

"This wasn't what I intended at all." Bruce's voice was sheepish.

Loki stared in horror. They'd been transported to Stark's blasted tower. The imprint of his body was still in the floor.

"Nice going, Banner."

Loki tried to back away from the mob in front of him. The mob that was roughly the same size as he was. The staff had turned him into a three year old.

He stumbled over the hem of his cloak, falling onto his rear. The avengers glared down at him, circling him.

"You wouldn't strike a child." He squeaked, terrified.

Captain America broke into a grin. 'You never heard the saying 'why don't you pick on somebody your own size'?"

Loki shook his head and scooted back into a wall.

"They say do it." Iron Man said calmly, and jumped on him.

As the two boys tussled, Natasha turned to Bruce and handed him the staff. "You can fix us?"

"Maybe with Tony's help." Bruce smiled as Loki squealed. "But we might wanna let him work out some frustration first."

"Agreed." Clint winced as they watched the rather one-sided wrestling match. "Yeouch. Think we should stop him?"

Steve considered this. "Two more minutes."

"Cool."

0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

0o0o0o0

Loki sniffled and drew his massive cloak tightly around himself. That idiot Tony Stark had given him a black eye and bloodied his lip before the other Avengers had pulled him off. Now, they were debating on tying him up.

"You do not need to restrain me. I can match one of you physically, but all of you can best me together."

"Like usual." Tony grinned. One of his eyes was black from the fight, but he didn't seem to care.

"He still has magic." Bruce was wearing the tattered remains of the nondescript clothes Loki had provided for the Avengers after their transformation. Loki was wearing only his undershirt and his cloak; all his armor had fallen away after he shrank.

"Yes, and what exactly do you think a three year old Asgaurdian is capable of?" Loki got to his feet, but kept close to the wall. "I can't even heal my wounds, let alone cause any of you harm."

Thor was sitting next to mjolnir, one tiny hand wrapped around the handle. He babbled something in Norse, nodding and pointing at Loki.

"I guess that means you're telling the truth." Clint shoved past him, and approached the massive bar.

"What are you doing?" Natasha followed him.

"I'm thirsty. There's gotta be something a kid can drink back here."

"Not likely," Tony muttered under his breath. "JARVIS! A little help here?"

The program remained silent.

"Butler on a break?" Steve held the magical staff that Loki had used with one (comparatively) massive hand.

"He must not recognize my voice." Tony frowned. "But if JARVIS knows someone's up here that isn't me, there should be security-"

"FREEZE!" The doors to the stairwell burst open, eliciting screams from the children. Two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents entered the room, guns drawn.

Both agents stopped, expressions melting into confusion.

Clint and Natasha were clinging to each other. Bruce had turned a sickly green. Steve dropped the staff to the floor and held his hands out. Tony was standing still, but had his hands covering his arc reactor protectively. Thor clung to mjolnir with both hands. Loki stepped in front of his brother, holding his arms out so his cloak mostly hide the tiny demi-god.

"Um...what the hell is this?" One of the agents spoke up.

Tony sighed. "Long story."

0o0o0o0

The two agents summoned Fury almost as soon as Tony began his explanation of why seven tiny children were in the upper level of Stark tower; about the same time he showed them the reactor taking up 80% of his chest.

Nick paced in front of the group, stopping in front of Clint and Natasha. "Well. This explains why you two stopped responding to your S.H.I.E.L.D. contacts."

"Sorry sir." The two responded in unison.

Fury shook his head. "I think I can let it slide given the circumstances."

He turned to face Loki. "So, Loki: How do I get my team out of preschool?"

Loki turned his head, lips sealed tightly.

"I do _not_ have time for this." Fury growled and snatched the tiny demi-god up by his over-sized shirt.

Loki let out a yelp, and began thrashing. "Let me go! I am a god, you cannot do this!"

"You're a naughty child, and unless you start talking, I'm going to put you over my knee and paddle you until you turn..."

Fury trailed off, at a rare loss for words. Loki was turning blue. Dark, cold blue with blazing orange eyes.

Fury set him back onto the floor.

"That looks so weird from the outside." Bruce commented as Loki scurried back to Thor's side. The thunder god was whimpering. He threw his arms around Loki's waist, locking the two of them into a hug.

"What the hell are you?" Steve gripped the staff of youth with both hands, wishing he were big enough to use his shield.

Loki returned his brother's hug, shivering as his skin returned to it's former color. "I...I am not..."

"He's a freak just like us." Tony said coolly. "Figures: all this taking over the world crap is just good old fashioned self hatred."

Loki turned a murderous glare on Tony, eyes gleaming with what might have been tears. "I hate no one but those who seek my destruction!"

"And what about baby bro there?" Tony crossed his arms. "I seem to remember you trying to kill him not that long ago."

"Only because my hand was forced!" Loki shouted. "It is not his fault our father lied and turned us against one another!"

"Ah, Daddy issues: the coup de gras of the hopeless loser!" Tony shouted.

Thor, upset by the yelling, began to wail loudly.

"I really do not have time for this bullshit." Fury growled. He reached down and picked Thor up. Everyone present watched with degrees of amazement as the director began patting and soothing the god. After a few moments, the wails subsided into hiccups and sniffles.

"This is way creepier than the blue skin." Clint said uncomfortably.

"Seconded." Natasha echoed.

"Unless you want yourself and your brother to remain this way, you'd better tell us how to fix this." Fury spoke softer than before.

Loki looked up at his brother, who was currently sucking one thumb, while the other hand clutched Fury's coat.

"I...I will tell you." Loki sat heavily on mjolnir. "But you will not like it. We must remain this way for a full day."

"Why that long?"

"I cannot recharge the staff in this condition: It must build up the energy by itself."

"So, that's not so bad." Steve tried to sound optimistic. "We should be okay for that long."

"It's...acceptable." Fury set Thor down and turned to the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "Buy everything six children would need for a twenty-four hour stay in Stark tower. And get some more caretakers in here: ones I can trust."

"Six?" Echoed the children.

Fury turned his eye on Loki. "If you think I'm leaving you with them, you're crazier than our files indicate."

Loki shifted his gaze to Thor. "I am quite harmless in this state, I assure you."

He grabbed Loki's arm roughly. "I'm sure you do."

"No, no, please!" Loki cried out as Fury pulled him away from the group. "Please, I promise I won't do anything, I won't!"

"Loki!" Thor wailed and grabbed his cloak with one hand, the other clutching mjolnir.

Fury jerked to a sudden stop. He gazed down at the two children, amazed. "He's that strong as a baby?"

"Want Loki!" Thor glared up at Fury. "Mine!"

Sighing, Fury dropped the god's arm. "No arguing with that."

Tony's mouth dropped open in shock. "I own this tower, and I want him out!"

"Mr. Stark, with all due respect: shut up and be good." Fury snapped, and stormed out the door.

Tony looked back at the group of children. "I don't think he meant that about respect, do you?"

0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

0o0o0o0

"If this is Fury's idea of taking care of us, I'm not laughing." Clint said flatly.

"I'm sure it's a mis-communication." Natasha didn't sound sure at all.

"I don't care who made this happen, they're going to _pay_." Tony glared back at one of their S.H.I.E.L.D. caregivers.

It had been decided that a bar wasn't the best place to keep little children, even if they were really adults, and heroes at that. One of the unfinished rooms of the tower had quickly been renovated to suit their needs. It had been painted technicolor, with cartoons licensed to the Stark corporation cavorting on its walls. Plush toys dotted the floor, along with 'learning' games. A large TV sat on one high cabinet, out of the reach of little hands. There was a mini-fridge with healthy snacks, a child-sized bathroom, and a closed off area that contained beds.

Bruce peeked around the corner at the bedroom. "Oh. Well, I suppose they did their best..."

"What is it?" Tony pushed past him, and his jaw hit the floor.

Race car beds. Six of them. And a crib.

"I suppose that is for Thor." Loki joined him, pulling Thor along. Only after much coaxing did Loki get him to let go of mjolnir and come to the new nursery. No one could lift the hammer now. "He won't like it."

"I don't like it." Tony threw his tiny hands skyward and returned to the playroom. "Does _anyone_ here enjoy _any_ aspect of being shrunk and treated like a child?"

"Well...It's probably the closest thing we'll get to a vacation from the whole 'saving the world' thing." Steve piped up.

Tony fixed him with an incredulous look. "You're actually serious."

"Yeah. We're only going to be this way for a day: might as well make the best of it."

"I'm surrounded by crazy people." Tony glared at the group, daring one of them to challenge him. When nobody did he stalked over to one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who were watching them. "You! Get Pepper Potts on the phone for me, okay? I need to go over business stuff while I'm...free."

"Director Fury ordered no outside contact, sir." The man said. "No phone, no internet."

Tony's mouth dropped. When he gave an order, people followed it, no questions asked! "We're stuck in here with no stimulation?"

"There's an array of DVDs and board games at your disposal, sir." The female agent said regretfully.

"I don't believe this!" Tony felt rage building and there was no one to vent it on.

'Strike that. There is _someone_.'

"When this is over I'm going to blast your ass all the way back to Valhalla, you blue-skinned freak!" Tony shoved past Loki and vanished into the bedroom. Loki watched him quietly. The heard a small thump and screams, strangely quiet...almost as if muffled by a pillow.

"Um...Is Tony having a temper tantrum?" Clint asked no one in particular.

"Yes." The others chorused.

"Well. Looks like we have some time to kill. Anyone want to play some cards?" Steve stared at the pile of games on the table. "I see a Go Fish deck, and something called Uno."

"Lets see what we can find." Bruce agreed. Reluctantly, the others joined in the search for something remotely amusing.

Thor let go of Loki's hand and toddled over to the group. "Ooh!"

"What?" Natasha bent down a little. "Do you want to play something, Thor?"

"That one!" He reached into the pile and yanked out a colorful box.

Natasha frowned. "Thor, that is childish even by our standards."

Thor looked up at her, eyes suddenly large and swimming with tears.

"Oh, jeeze...guys, can we play a round of this?"

The boys saw the box and let out a collective groan.

Loki peeked at the game that was making such a stir. "Candy land. What is the trouble?"

"Uh...you'll see."

0o0o0o0

Tony was tired. But he _wasn't_ sleepy and he _didn't_ need a nap. He was just worn out from laying face down on the bed and kicking and screaming for...well, it seemed like a very long time.

He heard laughter from the other room and tears of frustration filled his eyes. Why weren't the others more upset about this? Why wasn't Loki caged somewhere, away from them?

Why hadn't any of them come to see if he was okay?

Tony shook himself. 'What the hell is the matter with me?'

He shook his head and got out of the race car. Nothing was wrong with him. He was totally cool.

The sight that met him, however, was not.

The others were seated around a small square that was...moving. Small grassy hills rose from the floor. A forest of candy canes, mounds of molasses, a litany of lollypops, and amidst it, elfin creatures cavorted.

Loki smiled across the board at Bruce. "It is your spin."

"What the hell is this?!" Tony stomped over to them.

Steve looked up, a smile quickly leaving his face. "We're playing candy land, Tony. Do you want-"

"What is all this?" Tony motioned at the floor. "I don't have hologram tech in this room!"

"Thor cannot really play, and he was bored, so I...I just..." Loki suddenly looked fearful.

"You can still do magic, you lying _jackass_." Tony grabbed Loki's shirt (another thing that had come with the room) and yanked. "Change us back!"

"I never said I couldn't do any magic, just not enough to reverse this!" Loki growled. "This is simply a minor illusion; at the peak of my power, you could smell the peppermint wafting on tiny breezes."

Tony let go of his shirt. "I would give anything to be big enough to really beat you up."

"Tony, can you at least try to make the best of this?" Natasha asked.

"NO!" Tony stamped his foot. "What the hell is wrong with all of you? You're sitting there playing candy land with a...a _thing_ that tried to kill us less than a month ago! The same thing that did this to us!"

" 'm not a thing." Loki muttered, eyes down.

Tony went on as if he hadn't heard. "Thor is too out of it to act normally, but the rest of you seem to have a shred of your minds left. So explain it to me."

"We have." Bruce said patiently. "We're making the best of it. And Loki is harmless right now; maybe if we can all sit here and act like human beings, he won't be a murdering psychopath when this is over."

Loki looked up sharply, something glimmering deep in his eyes. Possibly hurt.

"We're not stupid, Tony." Clint added. "Just bored."

Tony looked slightly pacified by this. "Well. Good. I guess."

"Do you want to play?" Steve asked with palpable hope.

"Um...No." Tony was a bit disconcerted. Steve was wearing his emotions more on his sleeve than normal, even for him. "I'm getting hungry; I'm going to ask Tweedledee and Tweedledum about a snack."

At that, more than a few sets of ears perked up.

"Wanna eat!" Thor agreed, grabbing Tony's hand.

"Who knows: maybe we can get some shawarma." Tony led the tiniest avenger towards their caregivers, feeling slightly better.

0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

0o0o0o0

"NOOOOO!"

"Oh, for the love of GOD, shut him _up_ Loki!" Tony yelled over the din.

"I am trying!" Loki said through gritted teeth.

After a lunch of delicious shawarma, the Kidvengers had all begun feeling sleepy. With the most delicate of manner, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents/caretakers had suggested a nap might be in order. To the agent's relief, they all agreed and more or less toddled into the bedroom for a power nap.

All except Thor.

The blond demi-God was sitting in his crib, howling, tears rolling down his face. Loki was standing next to him, trying desperately to calm his brother.

"Don't you have cribs in your world?" Clint buried his face in the pillow.

"No. My brother thinks he is in a cage." Loki sighed. "THOR! All is well, I promise!"

"Let him sleep in your bed!" Bruce's shout was louder than a child should be. His skin was beginning to darken.

"Um...excellent suggestion." Loki looked alarmed. "How do we get him out?"

"I could break the bars." Bruce grinned mirthlessly.

"I'll get him!" Steve jumped up and scaled the crib quickly. "Thor! I'll get you out, okay? Then you have to nap with Loki. Deal?"

Thor stopped wailing. "Nap?"

"Yes, nap." Steve said soothingly.

"No nap!"

"Damnit."

"Fool, just get him out. I will get him to sleep." Loki rolled his eyes.

Steve hoisted Thor easily and hopped out of the crib, noting how much it looked like a cage from the inside. "Shouldn't our babysitters be doing this?"

"They fled to fetch warm milk." Loki reminded him as he set Thor on the floor.

"We're in great hands, all right." Natasha rolled over, away from the boys. It was bad enough that she had to share a room with them, body of a toddler or not.

The other boys settled in as Loki coaxed Thor into one of the beds. "Relax, brother. You need not sleep."

Thor sniffled. "Pwomis?"

"Yes, yes." Loki murmured as Thor snuggled next to him. "Shut your eyes, and I will tell you a story while the others sleep."

Loki's voice dropped to an ignorable drone as Steve dragged himself back to his bed. "I was asleep for seventy years. Thor won't go down for one hour?"

"Spoiled god." Tony muttered and hid under his blanket.

As Thor quieted, Steve sighed and fell into bed. "Mission accomplished."

0o0o0o0

_Mommy was dead. Daddy was dead. And he was alone._

_Clint cried into his hands. This was wrong. All he wanted was was to go home, and the mean policemen wouldn't let him. They were taking him to a 'foster home.' They weren't letting him go home._

_"I want to go home!"_

0o0

In his sleep, Hawkeye wept.

0o0o0o0

_"Tony, STOP!" Howard ran forwards._

_"But I did it Dad!" Tony waved the mechanism aloft. "You said you needed-"_

_"I said PUT IT DOWN!"_

_Startled, Tony dropped the ray-gun. It hit the floor and sent a bolt of yellow light into the wall with a ZAP!_

_Char marks spread instantly._

_"Oh, God, Tony." His Dad swept him into a bone breaking embrace. "Never touch my work again! Never! Promise me!"_

_"I...I..." Tony felt bewildered and frightened by the rage in his father's voice. He'd made the gun work. What was wrong?_

0o0

Tony frowned and began to turn over restlessly.

0o0o0o0

_The flames jumped before her eyes, higher and higher._

_"Mama! Papa!"_

_No answer._

_"Požar! Požar!" She wailed. Still no answer._

_Trembling, she sank into the corner as the flames grew closer._

0o0

Natasha moaned quietly.

0o0o0o0

_"Jenny, we're not supposed to!"_

_Jenny smiled at him. "Brucie, don't be a baby."_

_" 'M not a baby." Brucie followed his cousin down the hallway towards the kitchen, and it's cookie stash. By the time he got there, Jenny was already clambering up the high cabinets. "Be careful!"_

_"I'm always careful." Jenny smiled down at him and reached for the jar. Her fingertips brushed it, and it wobbled alarmingly. "Uh-oh."_

_The jar plummeted to the floor, and a glass shard slashed his upraised, defensive hand. Blood began to drip onto the floor as Jenny screamed._

0o0

Bruce groaned softly, clenching the hand with the nearly invisible scar.

0o0o0o0

_He was running, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Bucky wasn't here to save him. Mommy wasn't there either. He was all alone._

_"Give us your money, squirt."_

_"I..I d-don't huh-huh..." He couldn't breathe at all now. His throat had totally closed. The other kids looked alarmed._

_"Frankie, he's dyin!"_

_"Let's get outta here!"_

_Steve fell to the cobbles, wheezing. He didn't have his medication. He was going to die in this filthy ally._

0o0

Steve clawed at his constricted throat, trying desperately to gain some air. But it wouldn't come. He was...he was...

His eyes flew open as he drew in breath and memory. He didn't have asthma. Not anymore. Not even being a child again had erased the effects of the serum.

Around him, the others slept uneasily, crying, moaning, and thrashing. Only Loki and Thor seemed to sleep peacefully.

"Wake up!" He hollered loudly. Their eyes popped open, some with a cry.

Tony all but flung himself from the bed. "Wh...How...Oh. This is still happening."

"Are you guys okay?" Steve hurried to Clint, who was hastily wiping tears from his face.

"Bad dream." Clint shook himself.

"Me too." Natasha sniffled.

"And me." Bruce stared at his hand with a frown.

Loki surveyed them quietly. "It is not...unheard of for the staff to cause such problems. It's disturbing, but harmless."

"You don't look disturbed." Steve pointed out. "Thor either."

"Thor is a special case, if you couldn't tell." Loki set his brother on the floor.

He toddled to Steve and threw his arms around him, as best he could. "Mare!"

Steve looked to Loki for an explanation.

"He said 'America'. " Loki clarified. "It's the best he can do."

"Ah."

"Still doesn't explain why you're not having nightmares, sleeping beauty." Tony pointed out.

Loki twisted under his glare. "I...I don't know how the staff affects beings from Jotunheim."

"Is that what you're calling yourself? A _being_?" Tony snorted. "Whatever. "

Loki's eyes flashed orange. "Mortal weakling."

"Freak."

"Mental midget."

"Freaky frost-giant midget."

"Guys! I thought we agreed to try and get along until this was done!" Steve threw his hands up.

"You agreed, you try." Tony turned his back on them and stalked from the room.

"Well. This is going just great."

0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

0o0o0o0

"A bit on the nose, don't you think?"

"Shh." Steve shushed Tony. "I'm _watching_."

Tony lapsed into bored silence as the singing candelabra pranced across the screen. Steve had missed every movie for the last seventy years, including all of Disnyana. Now was as good a time as any to let him catch up with pop culture.

Plus it kept the other kidvengers quiet . Natasha was clutching a DVD of The Little Mermaid, their next cinematic thrill ride. Clint was muttering to himself about Gaston's weaponry, and critiquing his technique. Bruce hadn't turned even a little green since it had started.

Tony looked to Loki, who also seemed bored by the cartoon. Thor was mesmerized however, and Loki had not left his side since they'd woken from their naps.

The S.H.I.E.L.D babysitters sat on the other side of the room, quietly monitoring them. Tony hurried over.

"Any chance of getting a Wall Street Journal or a New York Times? Anything that doesn't have cartoon bears or singing teapots in it?" He begged.

The female agent gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'll call it in downstairs and see what we can do, sir."

"Thanks." Tony sighed, sensing the answer was code for 'no'. No contact with the outside world? Okay, he got the outgoing part of that. But nothing coming it either? Just how paranoid was Fury?

'That is so not a can of worms I'm gonna open.' Tony took his seat on the carpet.

"Tony!" Thor tugged his sleeve urgently.

"What?"

Thor just smiled up at him.

"What is it, Thor?"

"He wants attention, nothing more." Loki said sourly. "He never could stand it when people weren't looking at him."

Thor snuggled under Tony's arm and sighed contentedly.

"Oh, jeeeeze." Tony groaned. "Thor, you'd better not be messing with my head."

"Rest assured, my brother has not the intelligence to keep up such a ruse." Loki said with a rueful smile. "But, I shall take this moment to wash...unless you cannot _handle_ him."

Tony bristled. Thor was chronologically only slightly younger than he was, but his mind was worlds away. "I've got it, Smurf. Go clean up."

Missing the pop culture reference, Loki scurried to the washroom.

Tony shifted uncomfortably. Touchy-feely wasn't him.

The movie came to a halt finally, and Tony was horrified when his fellow Avengers sighed contentedly. Just how adult were their minds still?

"That was neat." Steve shot Tony a grin. "What should we watch now?"

"I've got an idea." Tony hopped up and scanned the hastily assembled DVD pack, mostly torn from his personal library. "Ah ha...Here we go."

"What's that?" Natasha asked as Tony hurriedly slipped the DVD in, hoping the agents weren't watching the TV too closely.

"Something a hell of a lot more awesome than freakin' Disney." Tony grinned conspiratorially. "And if you keep it down, Fred and Ethyl over there won't turn it off."

'Clive Barker's HELLRAISER'

"Oh, jeeze Tony, really?" Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Hey, it's a classic."

"It's not bad." Clint replied. "But why was it in the DVDs?"

"Gotta love bureaucratic oversights." Tony smirked. "Are you guys gonna tattle on me?"

There were a few shifty glances, but nobody got up.

"So sit back and enjoy."

0o0o0o0

Loki floundered in the deep tub, tiny feet slipping on the smooth bottom. It was entirely too deep, and the rubber ducks and other bath toys flooding the water's surface weren't helping him keep his balance. He gripped the side of the tub, desperately trying to stay afloat.

He was very glad nobody else could see this. After regaining his breath, he let go, and stood very still. It was a tall tub; the water easily reached his chin.

"I grow very weary of being small." He murmured, his voice echoing quietly. "I would really like to get out..."

Sighing, he reached out and tried for the third time to hoist himself from the tub, wet curls dripping in his bright eyes.

0o0o0o0

"Okay, if you check on Loki, I'll find out what they're doing." The female agent whispered. The Kidvengers had been clustered close to the TV for about an hour now: too close to see what they were watching. Loki had been in the bath for that same time, and aside from soft splashing sounds, they couldn't communicate with him.

"You don't think he...?" The male agent jerked his head at the door. "He's a god, right? They can't...y'know, drown."

"...Check. Now." She hurried to the TV.

Five of the kids were watching, pale-faced and open mouthed. Thor had buried his face in Tony's side. On screen, a man with no skin chased a young woman down a hallway.

"What the hell is this?" The agent turned the TV off and popped the DVD out. "HELLRAISER? How the hell did you get a copy of this?"

"Tony did it." Steve mumbled under his breath. "I wanted to watch Dumbo."

"You would, you _dumbo_." Tony hissed.

"I don't care who did it." The agent noted her coworker had been in the bathroom for a minute or so and wasn't screaming over a drowned body.

But she might have some screaming of her own to do...

"We're adults and can watch what we want." Tony said defiantly.

"Well, Mr. Stark, I've been put in charge of your well being. ALL of your well-being." She nodded at the whimpering god. "He seems very upset."

Tony looked at Thor, suddenly guilty. "Oh. Yeah."

The agent picked the whimpering god up, and he threw his arms around her neck. "Scary."'

"I'm sure it was, sweetie." She murmured, shooting Tony a nasty look. "Mr. Stark: I can't put you in a time out, technically. But I would like you to go to your bed and sit quietly and think about what you've done."

"Um...yeah." Tony trudged to the bedroom, head down.

"As for the rest of you...go play with candy land or something." She trailed off as they looked up at her, tears filling most of their eyes. They'd already been punished enough.

0o0o0o0

Loki glowered as the man stifled a laugh. "Here. I've got a towel, okay?"

"You will speak of this to no one, or I shall return and change you into a newt." Loki said icily as the man picked him up from the cool bathwater and wrapped him in an enormous fluffy towel. Loki stood still as a statue as the man helped him dry off and get dressed. The sleeping garment, he noted, came with full leg and foot covering.

It also had sleeping kittens printed on it.

"I'm in hell." Loki muttered as he left the bathroom. This was going to cause taunting.

To his surprise, none of the Kidvengers even looked up as he entered. Thor was sitting on the woman's lap, sniffling. The others were all sitting quietly, reading or playing by themselves. Iron Man had vanished.

"Thor? Are you well?" He hurried to his brother.

"He's fine." The woman set Thor next to Loki. Thor grabbed his hand tightly. "They were watching a scary movie."

Wordlessly, Loki led his brother to a quiet corner and began to sooth him.

The two agents watched the subdued children quietly.

"Think this'll scar them for life?" The man asked.

She shrugged. "Can't be any worse than what they've already been through."

0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

0o0o0o0

By the time Tony emerged from the bedroom, everyone had calmed down. This was assisted greatly by someone putting 'Finding Nemo' in the DVD player, and the promise of pizza for dinner. Most of the Kidvengers had returned to staring at the electronic babysitter, leaving the two live sitters free to make small talk.

"Mr. Stark, is there anything in particular you would like on a pizza?"

"Anything is fine. And please, call me Tony. It's a little silly otherwise." Tony felt a little better as the woman smiled at him, seemingly bearing no ill will for exposing the others to a scary movie.

"Okay, Tony." The woman tried to sound comfortable with calling one of the richest and powerful men in the world by his first name, and nearly managed. "Would you like to use the bathtub? Some of the others have already."

Tony shrugged and headed for the washroom. Natasha, Clint, and Bruce were in PJ's now too. At least they weren't identical, even if they did all have footies.

The state of disaster in the bathroom caused him pause. Water was everywhere, along with tub toys, and half-empty bottles of bubble bath. A footstool was on the side of the tall tub, as well as a small plastic step on the inside, and several hastily-affixed no-slip duck decals to the bottom.

Tony shook his head, turned on the water, and got in. Unable to help himself, he added a generous dollop of bubble bath to the water.

He clambered in, feeling strangely at peace with himself for the first time since this had begun. A little quiet, non-punishment time was just what he needed.

0o0o0o0

Loki was trying to amuse himself by imagining what horrible punishments he was going to inflict on the others when this was over, when a small noise interrupted his thoughts. He glanced at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents: one was setting the Black Widow's hair into a braid, and the other was trying to keep the Hulk's human form and Captain America from practicing sparring. Clint and Thor were absorbed in the movie, and didn't hear the strange noises from the washroom.

Curious, Loki slipped away. As he slid into the washroom, his jaw dropped and he began laughing.

Bubbles were EVERYWHERE. The tub was overflowing with the fluffy white substance, which was slopping onto the floor. And Iron Man, the hero that had defeated the Chitari army, was buried up to his chin in the foam. He was trying to turn off the water, with little success, as the knob was too large and slippery for his little hands.

"Damnit Loki, get out of here!" Tony growled as he caught sight of the god.

"I think I'll stay and watch." Loki smiled and clambered onto a nearby countertop, away from the encroaching bubbles on the floor. "This is better entertainment than the television."

Tony growled wordlessly as his hands slid from the knob. Soon, he wouldn't be able to find it in the bubbly mess.

"You could ask our caretakers for help." Loki called over to him. "I am sure they would not think less of you for needing assistance."

"I—don't—need—assistance!" Tony grunted. He grabbed for purchase on the knob, missed, and dunked his face into the deepening water.

Loki giggled in spite of himself. This almost made it all worth it.

"Shut up!" Tony glared at him after wiping the bubbles from his face.

Loki smiled, nonplussed. The bubbles had totally covered the floor now. "Quite a pretty mess, Stark. I wonder if another time-out is in order."

"Oh, I am _done_ with this!" Tony gave up on the knob and clambered out, not caring in the least that he was only clothed in bubbles.

The smile left Loki's face. "What are you doing?"

Tony didn't answer, just stalked up to the counter and grabbed Loki's leg. Loki let out an undignified squawk as Tony pulled him off the counter.

"Stop it!" Loki struggled, but his PJ'd feet gave him no purchase on the floor as Tony hauled him towards the tub. "Stark, don't you dare!"

"I do dare." Tony, sensing pulling the stuggling god would be easier than picking him up and tossing him, clambered up the steps, hand clamped on Loki's wrist. "Or do you want to call for help?"

Loki shot him a murderous look, but didn't stop struggling.

"That's what I thought." Tony said as both of them plunged into the water.

"I hate you!" Loki burst out as soon as his head popped up.

"I hate _you_." Tony growled. "Now either keep yelling and get our sitters in here, or help me turn the water off."

"I am not helping you!" Loki crossed his arms.

"Who do you think they'll blame for this if they come in here now?"

Loki's mouth fell open. "I didn't do _anything_!"

"Yeah, and they'll be so inclined to believe that. Help me!"

Loki grabbed the knob. "I don't just hate you, Stark. I despise you."

"Feeling's mutual, Hamlet." Tony gripped a free bit of the knob. It was all but lost in the rising foam. "On three, yank it! One…two…"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

A deep male voice interrupted them, startling Tony so badly that he lost his footing and plunged wholly into the water. After a confused moment, he half stood, half swum to the bubbly surface. It didn't help much; the rest of the room was lost in a cloud of white. The bubbles were well above his eye line.

"Can't any of you even take a _bath_ without destroying something?"

"He did it!" Loki's voice came from nearby, shrouded in foam. Tony flung an arm out, and felt satisfaction as he smacked Loki's arm.

The water was turned off, and a large arm swept Tony out of the foam. The S.H.E.I.L.D. agent had grabbed both of them, face turning red with frustrated anger.

"I…Loki…" Tony faltered, half-made excuses fleeing his mind. "I…I'm sorry?"

The man's eyes slid closed as he tried to contain his anger. He set the two of them on the sopping floor. "Get dressed and get out. Both of you. We'll discuss this after I've cleaned up."

"Very nice work, Stark." Loki hissed, pulling off his sopping wet clothing.

Tony just shook his head and looked for dry PJs. Vaguely, he wondered if this was going to affect the pizza situation.

0o0o0o0

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

0o0o0o0

Steve watched from the corner of his eye as the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent pursued the sodden duo out of the washroom.

"Bruce." He nudged the boy. "What do you think happened there?"

"I don't care." Bruce grumbled, one hand pressed to his stomach. "When are they going to get us dinner? There's gotta be some kind of law against not feeding kids for over four hours."

"Natasha and Clint seem okay."

"Natasha and Clint don't have an alternate from that uses up all their energy."

"Good point."

The movie's credits began to roll (amazing how far animation had come since his time!). Thor howled gleefully and threw a stuffed dog at the TV.

"Hey Mikey, he likes it." Clint grinned.

"I don't get it." Steve said woefully.

"Never mind. Want another one, Thor?"

"Hungry." Thor made the same woeful expression as Steve.

"I'll see what the ETA on food is." Natasha volunteered. It was obvious the boys weren't going to do anything but sit around and whine.

Boys were _dumb._

"Sit there, be quiet, and be good." The agent sat Loki and Tony down with the other boys. "If EITHER of you makes any more problems, you're BOTH going to get in trouble."

"That's not fair!"

"I saved the world and I'm getting punished?!"

The man waved his hands, silencing both of them. "I don't care! Just BE GOOD."

He stalked off to join the female agent, currently assuring Natasha that dinner would be there soon, and yes, they'd ordered a pizza with no pepperoni just for her.

"What did you two do?" Steve asked.

"Nothing!" Tony snarled.

"I was tricked." Loki pouted. Thor patted his arm sympathetically, even more oblivious to irony than usual.

"Whatever." Clint shoulders slumped listlessly. "Where's the pizza already? I'm staaaaaarving."

"Me too." Bruce growled. "I'm gonna find out what's what."

The two joined Natasha, and the whining got louder.

"Is this childishness another 'expected effect' of that stupid staff?" Tony asked Loki.

"Yes."

"You were going to wait until we were all helpless and do…something." Steve prompted. "Might as well tell us."

Loki glared coldly at him. "I'll tell you my plans when hell freezes over you mutant midgaurdian."

"Fine, be that way." Steve said, nonplussed. "But remember; this effects you now too."

Loki's glare vanished for a second into uncertainty. "I'll…be fine."

"You better be. You're the only one who can change us back." Tony said coolly. "You go too far down the rabbit hole and we're all stuck in wonderland."

Loki looked downright worried now.

"Loki?" Thor clearly didn't understand.

"It is fine." Loki managed a small, sad smile for his brother. "I promise, it is fine."

Thor beamed at his brother's 'change of heart.'

Steve threw a concerned look at Tony. Tony shook his head. They'd worry about it later.

"PIZZA'S HERE!" Three voices screamed in gleeful tandem.

"I haven't had pizza in years." Steve said as they got up and hurried to the meal.

"Well, it's pretty much the same. Aside from cheese-stuffed crust and wheat-ground flour."

"What?!"

"Never mind."

0o0o0o0

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8

0o0o0o0

"One more! Pleeeeeeeeeese?"

"I promise, I won't ask for anything else!"

"Steve hasn't even seen Toy Story 2 yet!"

The female S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's head was beginning to throb. Three of the Kidvengers were crowding around her, begging to be allowed to stay up late, have another cookie, or God only knew what. The pizza had only given them more energy. Her male counterpart had fled a few moments before to try and calm down an ever-sleepier, but still refusing to go to bed, Thor.

They weren't paid enough for this.

Only Steve, Tony, and Loki were sitting quietly. She didn't care why.

"FINE! One more movie, cookie, and story, then it's straight to bed!"

Natasha, Clint, and Bruce looked sated at this, and were perfectly quiet as she doled out cookies and popped a new DVD in the player. She made a mental note to call director Fury once the kids were asleep; this behavior was getting worse by the minute. What would happen tomorrow if they had totally regressed?

Her male counterpart returned, a wet-eyed Thor still in his arms.

"No luck?"

"He won't go without Loki." The man groaned.

"So? Get Loki and tell him to go to bed."

"Hey, why don't YOU tell the god capable of killing a person with his little finger to go to bed?" He snapped. Thor began to whimper. "Oh, no, no, it's okay, please don't cry."

"He wants mjolnir." Loki spoke up. "He won't sleep without it."

"He's too little to lift it, and none of us can." The man answered.

"So, take my bed to that room and we shall sleep there." Loki looked annoyed. "Are all humans this dense?"

"If he's sleeping there, so am I! It's my tower." Tony jumped it.

"Me too. They'll kill each other if I'm not there." Steve said seriously.

"NOBODY'S sleeping there!" The man whisper-snarled, while rocking Thor. "He'll have to get over it."

Thor let out a burbling sob, and rubbed his eyes with his fists.

"If you want peace tonight, do it." Loki said coolly. "It's your choice."

"If you stay with these three, I'll go to the other room with them." The man said, defeated.

"You'll take _four_?"

"You'll take _Banner_?"

"Good point."

0o0o0o0o0

Clint watched with mild interest as the man dragged bed after bed out of the room. "Whatcha doing?"

"Thor needs to sleep with mjolnir, so I'm taking his bed there."

"Why?"

"Because he always has his hammer."

"Why?"

"Because it's his primary weapon."

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

"Okay." He turned back to the TV, missing the agent's look of frustration.

Tony watched the scene critically. "How come they're acting so much worse than we are?"

"Well, Clint and Natasha don't have the advantage of godhood, super soldier serum, or a mechanical reminder of what they really are." Steve tapped Tony's chest.

"And Bruce?"

"The Hulk _is_ a little boy throwing a temper tantrum. Seems right on the money."

"Oh, great."

Thor was rubbing his eyes with one hand and holding Loki's with the other. The demi-god was ready for bed.

"I don't feel so normal myself." Steve said quietly. "I'd give a lot to know what Loki was planning to do to us."

"Well, maybe when we're away from Mr. Nanny we can find out."

0o0o0o0o0

"Okay, everyone settled? Nobody wants a drink of water, or anything?"

"You're not gonna stay in the room with us, are you? Because I can have Chris Hanson here in under five minutes."

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent ignored Tony. "I'll be in the very next room if anyone needs anything. And if I hear anything, I'm coming back in here and using the knockout spray to keep you all asleep. Got it?"

A few timid 'yeses' were enough. The man nodded and left.

Loki's race car was parked next to mjolnir. Thor was nearly asleep already, one hand hanging limply over the side, chubby fingers barely brushing the hammer.

If Tony had the capacity to appreciate cute, he would have been awed.

"Sure you can you do this?"

"I'm a soldier." Steve said, offended.

"Then you know all about enhanced interrogation techniques."

"What?"

"Torture, Beetle Bailey. Water boarding, Chinese water torture, non-water based beating up?"

Steve looked troubled, but nodded.

"Good. Let's roll."

The two waited for what seemed like hours and slid quietly out of bed, tiptoeing over. Loki's eyes were closed, but Tony was ready to slap a hand over his mouth just the same.

"On three." He breathed in a whisper. "One…Two…"

He struck, hand falling firmly across Loki's face.

And _through_ Loki's face.

"It's a trick!" Steve's military training held, and his shout wasn't above a whisper.

The commotion disturbed Thor. His bright eyes flew open. "Mare?"

Tony whirled around, expecting Loki to come flying at him from the darkness. "Show yourself, you Na'vi reject!"

Nothing.

Thor looked at him, puzzled.

"Thor." Sudden inspiration struck Steve. "Where is Loki?"

No less puzzled, Thor looked at the sleeping body besides him.

"Tony…" Steve waved a hand through the prone form. It wasn't like Loki's usual illusions. It felt…

He could _feel_ it.

"Tony, this _is_ Loki. Something's happening to him."

"What are you talking about? It's one of his mirages." Tony touched the apparition and shuddered. "It's cold!"

The image grew a little dimmer, and Loki's face twitched unpleasantly. His skin was turning blue.

"Something's wrong. We should get the agent."

"Yeah, like _he'll_ know what to do."

"Loki?" Thor tried to prod his brother, and looked very alarmed when his hand passed through.

Loki didn't wake, but his mouth opened in a silent wail. Suddenly, a slash flew across one pale cheek. Blood as real as anything dribbled onto the bed.

As the image began to thrash, Steve hauled a protesting Thor from the bed. "We've got to wake him up!"

Tony watched, clearly troubled. "I'd love to say leave him to his fate, but we need him to turn us back. How do we do it?"

"I don't know!" Steve's eyes began to tear up. He was the Captain, he was _supposed_ to know what to do!

"Loki. LOKI!" Tony raised his voice and started to shake the bed. "Wake up!"

Thor voiced the silent wails his brother was unleashing. "Lokiiiiiii!"

"What the hell is happening in here?!" The agent rushed in, and skidded to a stop at the scene. "What the—"

"We don't know." Tears fell freely down Steve's face. "We can't wake him up!"

Another slash on his face. Loki twisted in the bed, hands and legs sliding through the bedding. Thor continued screaming.

"He's getting dimmer!" Steve swallowed his own cries. He had to be strong.

" Dammit, you are not getting out of changing us back, you Lord of the Rings reject!" Tony cried out.

0o0o0o0

YOU PROMISED US FLESH FOR FREEING YOU.

"I tried." Loki wept. He was back in the accursed nursery, and the shadows were getting closer, inch by inch. "I gave you the mortal—"

HE WAS FREED BY THEIR LEADER!

"I wasn't there…I was getting—"

YOU HAVE FAILED US, LOKI LAUFEYSON.

One shadow caressed his cheek, drawing blood. Loki cried out. It felt like fire on his frozen skin.

YOU WILL PAY OUR PRICE.

"No, no please, I can get what you want!"

WE ARE TAKING THEM AS WELL. WE CRAVE MORE.

Loki tried to run, but the shadows entwined his legs. He kicked as they drew him to the crack in the wall. All that separated him from the horrors beyond was a paper-thin wall.

WE MUST TAKE THE RED FROM YOUR LEDGER.

Loki screamed.

0o0o0o0o0

"We've gotta wake him up!" The man tried to pick up the thrashing demi-god, but his hands slipped right through.

Thor wrenched his hand from Steve's grasp and grabbed mjolnir's leather thong. It was just long enough for him to reach Loki with his free hand.

"Loki!" He slammed a hand down on Loki's chest. There was a flash of light, and the others recoiled.

As the light faded, Loki's eyes flew open. Rivulets of blood cascaded down his face as he scrambled ungracefully from the bed.

"Thor…" He threw his arms around his brother, weeping.

The other three stood still, too shocked to move.

Loki looked up at them, eyes full of tears. "We have to get to the others."

0o0o0o0

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9

0o0o0o0

_"…And get some more caretakers in here: ones I can trust."_

Of course, it had all been a show for the kidvengers. There was no way in _hell_ Fury was letting anyone outside of the hapless agents who had found them find out what had happened. If the word got out that the defenders of the planet were helpless children…

Well, it wouldn't get out. All communications were to go through him, and him only. Fury, two agents, and no one else. No code names, no code words, just him, two agents, and a prayer that Loki wasn't lying his blue ass off.

"The children have been compromised! Repeat, the _children_ have been _compromised_!"

"Damn." Fury took a moment to center himself as the cries came over the line. If this was the end, he wasn't going to go out panicking.

0o0o0o0o0

"The children have been compromised! Repeat, the _children_ have been _compromised!"_

She didn't know what to do. There was nothing in S.H.I.E.L.D. training that covered babysitting baby superheroes. And now, when they were all supposed to be asleep and out of trouble, it was all coming apart.

Bruce was caught between himself and the Hulk; he thrashed in bed, but wasn't able to shift either way. Natasha was crying out, her voice barley audible. Both looked terrified.

It was nothing compared to Clint.

The boy was only half-visible, red welts and scratches blooming on his cheeks. Tears and blood streamed down his face.

She couldn't wake any of them. She'd tried screaming, shaking them (well, the two she could still physically touch), and was out of plans.

'Think, think! Natasha is S.H.I.E.L.D. trained, there's gotta be something that will wake her up...'

She fired the gun into the wall, away from the children. Natasha's eyes sprang open, her hand clasping for a gun that wasn't there.

"Black Widow!"

She looked up, her eyes wide and frightened. The agent didn't dare slow down, lest she lose what was left of Natasha's adult mind and focus.

"Get to the other room, and STAY AWAKE!"

Natasha jumped out of the bed and ran out the door.

The agent breathed a sigh of relief. "One."

She was unsurprised when the door burst open, her partner holding the pair of gods, Steve on his heels. She glimpsed a wet eyed Natasha helping an out-of-breath Tony into the room.

"What's happening?"

"I don't know, but it just happened to Loki. Thor stopped it somehow." He set them on the ground. Loki's face was bloodied and bruised.

Steve peered at Clint. "Loki, he's even worse than you were!"

"They've touched him before." Loki looked pained. "In the nursery."

"Who are they?" Steve demanded. "What's happening?"

"What...did you...do?" Tony wheezed as he finally made it in.

"Not now! I'll explain once this is over." Loki snapped. "Unless you want them to die."

"Don't you?" Tony asked coldly.

Loki turned away, saying nothing. He placed a hand gently over Clint's chest.

"Thor, to me."

Thor caught his free hand. The tiny blond child looked up at his brother, afraid.

"We can do it." Loki gave him a sad, unsure smile.

In the bed, Clint thrashed, growing fainter, limbs vanishing through the bedding. Bruce, all but forgotten in the panic, moaned deeply.

"Try to wake him, Captain. You have a chance."

Steve placed his hands on the sides of Bruce's bed, trying to ignore the strange glow overtaking the brothers.

"BRUCE! HULK! Wake up!"

"Tony, what if...we can't..."

"Steve, just help me scream."

"Okay."

0o0o0o0

Clint trembled helplessly. The black tendrils were whipping across his skin, faster than his eyes could follow, drawing lines of blood. He cried out as they siphoned the blood away, whispering in some hellish language. He couldn't move. His legs were weighed down. All he could do was weep and wait for the dark to consume him.

He didn't look at the flickers of light. They were lies, trying to make him think he'd survive this nightmare.

"Hawkeye." The voice was high and enticing. "If you want to live, flee. Flee now."

"I...I can't." He felt so weak, He couldn't break the shadows. He could barely even cry.

"I SAID NOW!"

0o0o0o0

For a moment, Clint wasn't sure he'd escaped. It was dark, and he was still in pain. But now there was a face to go with the voice.

Loki peered down at him, frightened and wounded.

"You!" He tried to spring from the bed, but his body barely twitched.

"I...I am sorry. Truly." Loki whispered, face pale with shock and fear.

"He needs a doctor!" The male agent swooped in, lifting Clint up.

"He needs blood." Loki said as the man carried him away. "He..."

Loki sank to his knees, the loss of blood and energy hitting him all at once.

"Loki!" Thor tried to lift his brother back onto his feet.

"No, Thor." Loki whispered. "I...I am fine."

"Pwomis!"

"I promise, I am fine. Just...tired."

Thor looked troubled, but didn't try to lift him again.

"Go...help your friends wake Bruce up. I'll be right here."

Thor reluctantly let go of Loki's hand and toddled over to join the others.

"You're not fine." The female agent picked him up and cradled him in her arms.

"I will be. I merely need rest."

"You saved Clint's life." She said quietly. "Why?"

Loki turned his head, saying nothing.

"Fine. Be that way. But as long as you're being helpful, how do we wake Bruce up?"

"I do not know. He wasn't where Clint was, he's somewhere between. I...cannot help."

If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn tears were in his eyes. Meanwhile, the other boys kept on screaming.

"Bruce!"

"Hulk!"

Thor took a deep breath.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

There is nothing more earsplitting than the scream of a child. Especially when that child is an asgaurdian who has missed his bedtime. Bruce was awake, and de-hulked before you could say 'smash'.

"What was that?" He looked around the room wildly for the source of the scream.

"Just our private police siren." Tony wince, but dropped a pat onto Thor's shoulders. "Remind me never to try and take your candy."

Thor beamed. "I help!"

"You sure did, buddy. Good job." Steve smiled wearily. "I just hope he's in this good a mood after we're all up for the rest of the night…"

0o0o0o0

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 10

0o0o0o0

Fury eyed the lot before him, heart going no faster than normal. Why should it? They'd only _almost_ died. Everything was fine.

Well, fine-ish.

Clint had been given a pint of blood and a light tranquilizer, after Loki assured them he'd be safe to sleep. It hadn't been easy; the little hero had had a huge tantrum, righting to stay awake as if his life depended on it.

Fury didn't blame him.

Now, the remaining Avengers sat before him, yawing and rubbing their eyes. Loki stood in the front of the group, head lowered like a naughty schoolchild about to be whipped.

"Explain."

Loki took a small breath. His eyes darted quickly to and from the female agent. She made a 'go on' motion with her fingertips, and Fury made a mental note.

"The…things that attacked us are what freed me from my captivity in Asgaurd. I made a deal with them: if they helped me to escape, I'd deliver them whatever they wanted,

What they wanted was…children."

Loki swallowed and looked sick.

"I made another deal; I'd bring them my enemies in the form of children. They feed of fear as well as meat. I said they could have both, but I…lied."

Tony held back a derisive snort.

"I wanted them for more.

"What?" Fury prompted, neither gentle nor firm. Just politely interested.

"Servants."

"Wanna run that by us again, Frosty?" Tony asked, shooting Steve a look.

"Servants." Loki looked pained. "I was going to wait until your minds were more…moldable, then let the creatures to their work for a short time. I would swoop in for the rescue, and…and…"

"And we'd be so grateful, we'd swear fealty to you." Steve pieced it together.

"Were you going to let them kill someone?" Bruce asked.

Loki nodded, eyes down.

"Clint?"

Another nod.

"So why didn't you?" Natasha gripped Thor's hand. "You could have let him die."

To the collective surprise of everyone, Loki burst into tears. "I DON'T KNOW!"

He collapsed onto the floor in a heap, crying. Thor pulled free and toddled over, throwing his arms around the shivering demi-god.

"Loki?"

Loki didn't give any sign that he noticed. No one else moved to comfort him.

"We're waiting, Laufeyson." Fury's voice was still level. "Why did you save Barton?"

"I…don't…know." Loki didn't raise his head. "I hate him! I hate all of you."

"Sir, I think—" The male agent stopped at Fury raised a hand.

"I think this little trip has restored some sanity to that tortured mind of yours." Fury said coolly.

Loki curled in on himself. He didn't want to hear this.

"I think you're starting to see the cost of your quest to rule every damned thing you've ever laid eyes on."

"Stop it!" Loki wailed.

"Do you understand how many have needlessly died because of you, Laufeyson? How many families ripped apart, how many innocent—"

"SHUT UP!"

"—people are maimed because of the chi'tari? I think you're starting to. And it all started with little brother there still loving your fratricidal ass."

Loki clamped his hands over his ears.

Fury bent down to him: "You're _sane_ again, and you can't deal with it. Well, guess what? That's NOT my problem. My only problem is getting the Avengers back to adulthood. After that happens, you can rot in the deepest pit Odin can dig, Laufeyson."

"That's enough!" Tony jumped to his feet. "He's a child for God's sake!"

Fury fixed his good eye on Tony. "I'm done here."

He strode out of the room.

The female agent raced after him after a second. "Sir, permission to—"

"It had to be said, agent. Just because he's cute and harmless now, does not erase what he's done."

"And what about saving Barton?" She asked bitterly.

Fury stopped. "When he get's back to adulthood, do you think what I've said will stick? That this brief bout of lucidity will stick?"

"I…don't know."

"Me either. But now it had a hell of a lot better chance to."

"Sir?"

He smiled grimly. " The Jesuits say 'Give me a child until he's seven and he is mine for life.' We don't have that much time, agent."

0o0o0o0

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 11

0o0o0o0o0

Despite the excitement, it didn't take long for most of the Avengers to go back to sleep; their bodies simply couldn't stay awake. Only Tony managed to keep his eyes open while the others dropped off.

He was watching Loki. The Asgaurdian was curled around Thor, shivering miserably. He hadn't spoken since Fury had called him out. He'd been carried to the bed by the female S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with his brother. Thor refused to let go.

If what Fury said was true...if this whole mess had brought Loki back to sanity, then there was no telling what would happen. That coupled with their ever-more childlike minds could send the frost-midget into a fugue state. He might not be able to reverse their condition in the morning.

Tony's heartbeat quickened. He was the last holdout, and his mind was beginning to suffer too. Why else would he have jumped to Loki's defense?

'Well, it's true. He _is_ just a child. There was no need to berate him like that.' Tony rolled over so he wouldn't have to face Loki. 'If Fury could do that to him, he could do it to any of us.'

That terrified Tony. As an adult, he could cope with whatever Fury could dish out. But if his mind was brought down to the level of the others...

He shuddered. He wanted Pepper. He wanted to go home. But most of all he wanted to be a grown-up again.

Now his gaze rested on Clint. A small blood bag was hooked into his arm. He looked pale in the dim green light cast by their Hulk-shaped nightlight (it'd been all the store had) and his own pale blue chest light. What if the things Loki had unleashed tried to get to them? They could be out there waiting right now, lurking in the closet, behind the door, under the bed-

He curled his legs to his chest, away from the foot of the bed. It was no good telling yourself monsters didn't exist if you spent all your time fighting them.

0o0o0o0o0

Natasha woke briefly during the night. Blearily, she confirmed Clint was okay, and that nobody was freaking out. Everything was quiet, all the boys unmoving lumps in the darkness. Bruce snored softly.

She closed her eyes, able to rest easy. It felt like a long time since she'd been able to do that.

0o0o0o0o0

The agents checked in on the kids, at first every ten minutes, then every fifteen, then every half hour. By two AM, all the kids were sleeping, albeit fitfully in the cases of Loki and Tony. They decided not to wake them; the kids had been though enough.

0o0o0o0o0

Clint's dreams were dark. Things lashed at him, tearing away at his clothes and skin. He should have been afraid, but something else kept stepping in to stop the lashers. Something small and sad.

0o0o0o0o0

Steve lay in bed ramrod straight, a product of his unshakable military training. He slept lightly, ready to spring at the first sign of trouble. What he'd do when it happened, he wasn't sure, but his body was trained to respond even when his mind was confused. He'd be fine, and he'd make sure the others would be fine.

He wasn't a Captain for nothing.

0o0o0o0o0

Bruce woke, thirsty. He blinked at the bright light when he crossed the threshold to the main part of the nursery. The two grown-ups were snoozing in their chairs. He held back a laugh. They looked funny, slumped over like that. The man was even drooling!

Hands clapped to his mouth, he got a small cup of water and managed to drink it without spraying water all over the place from held-in laughter. This was the best sleepover _ever._

0o0o0o0o0

Loki didn't stay awake long into the night, thinking about what Fury said. He didn't dream about all the things waiting for him on the other side. And he most certainly didn't hug Thor for comport until he fell asleep. He was a god. He did not do any of those things.

0o0o0o0o0

To be continued...


	12. Chapter 12

0o0o0o0

The smell of waffles and bacon brought Tony around faster than any alarm clock could have. He was still the last one up: the others, hair ruffled by sleep, were clustered around a short table. The male agent was dishing out food.

“Did I miss anything?” Tony yawned and plopped himself into the empty chair next to Steve. He wrinkled his nose: no coffee. Just OJ.

“No.” Steve sipped his juice, both hands around the cup. “We’ve only been up for a few minutes.”

They were all feeling the effects of last night: nobody chattered or smiled. Just quiet eating.

Loki’s head was down, hair hiding his face. He didn’t seem to be eating.

Tony frowned. If that idiot passed out from hunger, he couldn’t fix them. “Loki. Eat something.”

Loki looked up at him curiously. “What?”

“Eat some breakfast: You’ll need energy to fix us.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Or does being a god make waffles beneath you?”  
Wordlessly, he began cutting up the waffle. Thor had already made a good try at his, and was happily etching a syrup drawing into his plate.

“Stop it!” Natasha slapped Clint’s hand away from her plate. “I’ll tell.”

“Fiiiiiine.” Clint rolled his eyes. “Girls don’t even like bacon.”

“Do so!”

“Do no!”

“Do so!”

Tony watched them. He looked around the tale, trying to see if anyone else thought this was out of the ordinary. Bruce was too engrossed in his third waffle to notice. Steve looked annoyed at the noise. Thor continued to doodle.

Loki caught his eyes. He looked just as worried and miserable as Tony felt.

Great. The only one else thinking clearly was the moron who had caused it.

“When can you change us back?” 

“When the meal is over I can begin.” Loki placed one hand on Thor. “I’ll have to change Thor first.”

“Since you took him first?”

Loki nodded. “What little remains of his mind will vanish if I do not.”

He looked down at the beaming god. “It must be soon..”

0o0o0o0o0

When the two agents removed the last traces of syrup and spilled juice (they should have known better, in Tony’s opinion), they assembled the children in the bar. Several piles of adult clothes were laid out for them, and a convenient t screen set us so any accidental nudity wouldn’t scar their young minds.

Thor was seated on mjolnir, looking as innocent and happy as any well-fed two year old. When no one was looking, Loki gave him one last hug. Thor hugged him back, oblivious to his brother’s sad heart.

“Just stay still until I finish Thor.”

“Yes.” Thor’s hand was wrapped around mjolnir’s handle. He didn’t care what was happening now that he was reunited with it.

Loki took up the unwieldy staff (it was quite a bit taller than he was). Runes lit up at the touch of his fingers, glowing blue in the ancient wood. He repeated a few words the mortals wouldn’t understand and let loose what little magic he had left.

There was no blinding flash or thunderous roar. Just a very confused adult Thor sitting next to his hammer with barely enough cloth spread over his lap. The other children watched, eyes wide in amazement.

“What?” He raised a hand to his eyes. “I dreamt…”

His sight fell on Loki.

“You.”

Loki swallowed. “I…am sorry, brother. Truly.”

Thor turned his back on the child and donned the clothes provided. Loki seemed to wilt, clutching the staff with both hands. 

Thor turned around and wordlessly swept his brother into a hug.

“I remember.” Thor whispered into his ear. “You protected me. You saved Clint.”

Loki threw his arms around Thor’s neck and burst into tears.

The agents watched as Thor pulled his brother aside and began speaking quietly to him. Bruce looked up at the woman. “It’s almost over?”

“Yeah, Bruce. It’s almost over.” She swallowed hard, praying she was right.

Thor re-approached the group, staff in one hand, Loki in his free arm. “My brother’s magic is very weak in his current form. He cannot do more.”

“I KNEW IT!” Tony jumped up. “That sneak is trying to get out of fixing us! Put him down Thor, I’m gonna—“

“HOWEVER, I can use the staff.” Thor cut him off.

Tony’s shrieks of anger fell off instantly. He plopped wordlessly back onto his rear with the other children.

“Just stay still.”

“It won’t hurt?” Steve asked.

“No, Captain. I promise.” Thor watched the runes light below his fingertips. 

He returned them to adulthood one at a time, noting with laughter the same looks of confusion, followed by embarrassed realization that yes, what had happened wasn’t just a dream. Natasha had all but teleported back into her clothes. Wondrous.

That only left Loki, still in his arms.

Tony tugged his sweatshirt on. “You’re not going to change him here, right?”

“What?”

“You’re taking him home in mini-form, correct? Because if he’s here, and has access to all his adult powers, I need to get my suit.”

Loki wordlessly buried his face in Thor’s neck. Tony felt the slightest pang of guilt when he saw the child was trembling.

“I will take him home.” Thor said softly. “We still have much to discuss while I can make him listen.”

He awkwardly juggled the staff into the crook of his arm while stooping to get mjolnir. “I will see you all again soon.”

The pair vanished. Loki never looked up.

Clint turned to the two caretakers. “Thank you, agents. You did a fine job.”

“Thank you sir.” The man gave him a handshake. “And may I say, I hope it never happens again.”

0o0o0o0o0

Thor placed Loki on the bed in his chambers. The child was sleeping soundly. He’d been up all night, after all. When he’d recovered, they talk.

Maybe there would even be understanding.

0o0o0o0o0

Fin


End file.
